1(iv) When Amrafel was king of Shin‘ar, Aryokh king of Elasar, K’dorla‘omer king of ‘Elam and Tid‘al king of Goyim; 2they made war together against Bera king of S’dom and against Birsha king of ‘Amora, Shin’av king of Admah, Shem’ever king of Tzvoyim, and the king of Bela (which is the same as Tzo‘ar). 3All the latter kings joined forces in the Siddim Valley, where the Dead Sea is. 4They had served K’dorla‘omer twelve years, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled.

5In the fourteenth year K’dorla‘omer and the kings with him came and defeated the Refa’im in ‘Asht’rot-Karnayim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Eimim in Shaveh-Kiryatayim 6and the Hori at Se‘ir, their mountain, all the way to Eil-Pa’ran by the desert. 7Next they turned back, came to ‘Ein-Mishpat (which is the same as Kadesh), and defeated all the country of the ‘Amaleki, and also the Emori, who lived in Hatzatzon-Tamar. 8Then the kings of S’dom, ‘Amora, Admah, Tzvoyim and Bela (that is, Tzo‘ar) came out and arrayed themselves for battle in the Siddim Valley 9against K’dorla‘omer king of ‘Elam, Tid‘al king of Goyim, Amrafel king of Admah and Aryokh king of Elasar, four kings against the five.

10Now the Siddim Valley was full of clay pits; and when the kings of S’dom and ‘Amora fled, some fell into them; while the rest fled to the hills. 11The victors took all the possessions of S’dom and ‘Amora and all their food supply; then they left. 12But as they left, they took Lot, Avram’s brother’s son, and his possessions; since he was living in S’dom. 13Someone who had escaped came and told Avram the Hebrew, who was living by the oaks of Mamre the Emori, brother of Eshkol and brother of ‘Aner; all of them allies of Avram. 14When Avram heard that his nephew had been taken captive, he led out his trained men, who had been born in his house, 318 of them, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. 15During the night he and his servants divided his forces against them, then attacked and pursued them all the way to Hovah, north of Dammesek. 16He recovered all the goods and brought back his nephew Lot with his goods, together with the women and the other people. 17After his return from slaughtering K’dorla‘omer and the kings with him, the king of S’dom went out to meet him in the Shaveh Valley, also known as the King’s Valley.

18Malki-Tzedek king of Shalem brought out bread and wine. He was cohen of El ‘Elyon [God Most High], 19so he blessed him with these words:

“Blessed be Avram by El ‘Elyon,

maker of heaven of earth.

20and blessed be El ‘Elyon,

who handed your enemies over to you.”

Avram gave him a tenth of everything.

(v) 21The king of S’dom said to Avram, “Give me the people, and keep the goods for yourself.” 22But Avram answered the king of S’dom, “I have raised my hand in an oath to Adonai, El ‘Elyon, maker of heaven and earth, 23that I will not take so much as a thread or a sandal thong of anything that is yours; so that you won’t be able to say, ‘I made Avram rich.’ 24I will take only what my troops have eaten and the share of the spoil belonging to the men who came with me — ‘Aner, Eshkol and Mamre; let them have their share.”

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Genesis 14

1 Now it happened in that time that Amraphel, king of Shinar, and Arioch, king of Pontus, and Chedorlaomer, king of the Elamites, and Tidal, king of the Nations,

2 went to war against Bera, king of Sodom, and against Birsha, king of Gomorrah, and against Shinab, king of Admah, and against Shemeber, king of Zeboiim, and against the king of Bela, that is Zoar.

3 All these came together in the wooded valley, which is now the Sea of Salt.

4 For they had served Chedorlaomer for twelve years, and in the thirteenth year they withdrew from him.

5 Therefore, in the fourteenth year, Chedorlaomer arrived, and the kings who were with him. And they struck the Rephaim at Ashteroth of the two horns, and the Zuzim with them, and the Emim at Shaveh-Kiriathaim.

6 and the Chorreans in the mountains of Seir, even to the plains of Paran, which is in wilderness.

7 And they returned and arrived at the fountain of Mishpat, which is Kadesh. And they struck the entire region of the Amalekites, and the Amorites who dwelt in Hazazontamar.

8 And the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and indeed the king of Bela, which is Zoar, went forth. And they directed their point against them in the wooded valley,

9 namely, against Chedorlaomer, king of the Elamites, and Tidal, king of the Nations, and Amraphel, king of Shinar, and Arioch, king of Pontus: four kings against five.

10 Now the wooded valley had many pits of bitumen. And so the king of Sodom and the king of Gomorrah turned back and they fell there. And those who remained, fled to the mountain.

11 Then they took all the substance of the Sodomites and the Gomorrahites, and all that pertained to food, and they went away,

12 along with both Lot, the son of Abram's brother, who lived in Sodom, and his substance.

13 And behold, one who had escaped reported it to Abram the Hebrew, who lived in the steep valley of Mamre the Amorite, who was the brother of Eshcol, and the brother of Aner. For these had formed an agreement with Abram.

14 When Abram had heard this, namely, that his brother Lot had been taken captive, he numbered three hundred and eighteen of his own armed men and he went in pursuit all the way to Dan.

15 And dividing his company, he rushed upon them in the night. And he struck them and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.

16 And he brought back all the substance, and Lot his brother, with his substance, likewise the women and the people.

17 Then the king of Sodom went out to meet him, after he returned from the slaughter at Chedorlaomer, and the kings who were with him at the valley of Shaveh, which is the valley of the king.

18 Then in truth, Melchizedek, the king of Salem, brought forth bread and wine, for he was a priest of the Most High God;

19 he blessed him, and he said: "Blessed be Abram by the Most High God, who created heaven and earth.

20 And blessed be the Most High God, through whose protection the enemies are in your hands." And he gave him tithes from everything.

21 Then the king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me these souls, and take the rest for yourself."

22 And he responded to him: "I lift up my hand to the Lord God, the Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth,

23 that from one thread within a blanket, even to a single shoelace, I will not take anything from that which is yours, lest you say, 'I have enriched Abram,'

24 except that which the young men have eaten, and the shares for the men who came with me: Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre. These will take their shares."

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B'resheet (Gen) 14

Genesis 14